Fraser Valley – The University of the Fraser Valley men’s basketball team has gained an early commitment from a high-profile local recruit, inking Clay Kurtz of Chilliwack’s G.W. Graham Secondary.
Kurtz, a 6’2” point guard, led the G.W. Graham Grizzlies to Eastern Fraser Valley and B.C. AAA championships last spring, earning MVP honours at both tournaments. At provincials, he stuffed the stat sheet with 17.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.3 steals per game, highlighted by a huge 24-point, 12-rebound double-double in the Grizzlies’ 79-67 win over Duchess Park of Prince George in the championship game.
Kurtz is also an accomplished multi-sport athlete – he won a provincial AA baseball championship with the Chilliwack Cougars in 2015, and helped his U16 Fraser Valley Thunderbirds hockey team to a provincial runner-up finish in 2019.
“You want athletes in your program who encompass everything that you stand for – working hard in the classroom, in the community, in the weight room, and obviously on the basketball floor,” Cascades head coach Joe Enevoldson said. “Clay checks all those boxes. He’s played in the biggest game at the AAA level, he’s won a championship, and he’s won titles in other sports as well. He’s a local guy, so we definitely won the community there, and he’s a player who still has some room for growth on the basketball floor. I think he’s going to be a really big part of our program moving forward.”
Kurtz, a two-time all-star at basketball provincials at the junior level, is a former high school teammate of current Cascades Matthias and Zach Klim.
“I chose to play at UFV because I see myself fitting right into the program, and seeing the potential that the players and team as a whole have,” Kurtz said. “I have also gotten to know the coaching staff within the past few months, and am looking forward to playing for them. Another reason I chose to play at UFV is because it’s close to home and I want to play for the local university. I believe having the support from friends and family is super important.
“My dreams and goals while playing for the Cascades will be to grow as a person and a player. I see the program having the potential to win a national championship within the next few years, which I would love to be a part of. I also have dreams of playing professionally in Europe or Australia, and I believe that UFV can help make that happen.”
Kurtz will join the Cascades in the fall of 2021.
